Wheeler claims Brightsys Big Race Pace as Reeves, McDonald score winning trebles at Albany Harness Racing Club

A night of many triumphs marked an exciting eight-race event in Albany on Friday with a pair of winning trebles and a Trent Wheeler special highlighting the Harold Reid Paceway card.

Albany trainer Hayden Reeves and top driver Stuart McDonald each secured three wins while Trent Wheeler drove Adrian Shanks’ Rockandrollartist to a Brightsys Big Race Pace (2265m) triumph.

Rockandrollartist ($7.50) accelerated out of the gate and won an early battle for prime position with Ideal Tomado ($3.20) who was forced to sit two wide for the remainder of the race.

The compact field began to separate on the back straight before Wheeler held on to victory ahead of Highly Flammable ($16) who was pushing hard in the sprint lane.

Ideal Tomado rounded out the top three.

Reeves claimed the first and last races of the meeting along with race six where he converted heavy favourite Gypsy Dragon to back-to-back victories.

Off the standing start, reinsman McDonald swiftly kicked Gypsy Dragon ($1.95) into gear effortlessly snatching the lead from Amelia Rocks ($34) before maintaining a 3m advantage to the finish line.

Reeves opened his account in race one when Wheeler drove Del Bocavista Bay ($2.30) to a convincing 10m win over favourite Princess Katie ($2.10) in The Hanson Stakes 3YO Westbred Pace (2265m).

The in-form trainer then combined with McDonald in race eight to each bring up a treble with Dilo Spirit ($8) prevailing by 3.6m over joint favourites Just A Pet and On Golden Road (both $2.90) in The Bradley and McAleese Outdoor Solutions Sprint 4YO+ Westbred Pace.

McDonald’s first of the evening came in race two after driving Michael Young’s Quintessence ($1.36) to a 1.2m victory over $3.20-priced American Monarch in The Luke Bradley Dash 4YO+ Westbred Pace (2265m).

The Hanson Concrete Sprint Pace (1832m) had a fierce battle between trainer-driver Wesley Andrews and Tim Stone, with Andrews taking an impressive win with $14 roughy The Beach Master ahead of Koolbardi Navajo ($3.10).

Aldo Cortopassi drove David Goulden’s Batavia Streamline ($7.50) to a win in The McAleese Mile Pace (1832m).